Chapter Sixteen This is Complicated
ZANDER
ClickTease: I can’t believe you haven’t seen The Exorcist. It’s a cultural staple!
GlideControlZ: Do you remember when I said I don’t believe in ghosts but keep an open mind so I don’t accidentally piss one off? Same goes for demons!
ClickTease: You’re not going to get possessed watching a movie.
GlideControlZ: You don’t know that! What if I haven’t been possessed yet precisely because I haven’t seen the movie?
ClickTease: I think you believe in ghosts and demons more than I do.
I laugh out loud at her response, which catches Wilder and Jayce’s attention. It’s Monday morning and we’re standing in the locker room, getting ready for practice, and I’ve been bantering back and forth with ClickTease as I get dressed in my gear.
“Zander, what’s with you?” Wilder asks with an arched brow. “You’ve been way too distracted by your phone lately.”
“Dude, I think he’s blushing a little bit.” Jayce makes a show of squinting at me.
I roll my eyes. “You guys are stupid.”
Wilder frowns, curious. “Is it the mystery girl you went on your date with on Friday?”
“Seems like it went well,” Jayce observes, looking me up and down. “Did our little Zanny have a good time?”
It’s easy for Wilder and Jayce to mock me about this - they’re both more than happy hooking up with every puck bunny that crosses their path.
I don’t know if either of them are really interested in an actual relationship.
Actually, I’m pretty sure Jayce intentionally avoids them - there are rumors that he’s actually fighting with his family about an arranged marriage or something crazy like that.
“None of your business,” I chuckle, shaking my head as I tuck my phone into my locker. “Though I will say that she’s probably the funniest girl I’ve ever talked to.”
“Ahhhh.” Carson suddenly appears, batting his eyes and pressing his clasped hands over his heart. “Are you talking about a girl you like?”
“God, not you too!” I groan.
“What are we talking about?” Jensen pops in. “Is Zander in love?”
“That’s so sweet.” Jayce pretends to wipe away a tear.
“You’re all idiots.” Still, I can’t stop smiling. Friday night was so good. Even though it was just virtual, it’s still in my top ten dates of all time.
However, I also remember my shower afterward and what my mind conjured up when I was trying to think of ClickTease. Rylee, on her knees, sucking me into her mouth.
Jesus, why can’t I stop thinking about her?
I feel a twisting of guilt in my chest, because I’m already emotionally invested in ClickTease, but I can’t get Rylee out of my head.
Fuck, I almost kissed her! After she pulled away and went back to her room, she pretty much stayed in there the rest of the weekend and we haven’t spoken to each other since.
It’s pretty fucked up how easy it is to avoid someone, even when they live in the same one bedroom apartment.
Shit… what am I going to do about her?
Trying not to think about it anymore, I dig through my locker in search of my gloves, only to realize they aren’t here.
“Damn it,” I sigh, grabbing my phone again and shutting the locker.
“What’s up?” Wilder asks, looking up from his own locker.
“My gloves aren’t here,” I explain. “Pretty sure I left them in my car. I’ll be right back.”
Wilder nods and goes back to what he’s doing as I turn to make my way out of the locker room and down the hall. I’m so distracted and lost in my thoughts that I don’t pay attention to where I’m going or what’s ahead of me. As I’m turning a corner, I nearly run down a blonde bundle of crazy.
“Ah!” Rylee yelps as she just manages to dodge me, though her breasts still graze my arm and heat shoots through me straight to my dick. “Watch where you’re going!”
“Watch where you're going,” I growl, even though this is likely all my fault.
She rolls her eyes and moves past me. As I start walking again, I shoot ClickTease another message.
GlideControlZ: Okay, I’ll make you a deal - I’ll watch The Exorcist so long as you’re there to cuddle with me so I don’t get too scared
A few seconds later, the sound of a giggle makes me freeze in place. And then, from behind me, I hear Rylee saying to herself, “Damn, sexy man, you better not turn out to be some eighty year old stalker or something, because by the way you're talking, you sure know how to flirt.”
My eyes widen and my heart seems to stop beating for a moment.
Rylee?
I move back and peek around the corner. She’s stopped in the middle of the hallway and is gazing down at her phone with a big smile on her face. This is just a coincidence. It has to be. I couldn’t have heard her right, could I? Maybe I’m misinterpreting.
Ducking out of sight again, I scramble to unlock my phone and send ClickTease another message.
GlideControlZ: Once we watch The Exorcist, maybe we could watch Gremlins.
ClickTease: Yes! I LOVE that movie. It’s one of my favorites.
Okay… okay, that tracks. But to be really sure, I need just a little more proof that it’s Rylee.
GlideControlZ: You know I heard this song earlier that made me think of you. You should check it out - it’s called Geeks in Love by Lemon Demon.
I send it and wait, my heart in my throat.
About thirty seconds later, I hear the song start playing and Rylee giggles again.
Shock. That’s all I can say to describe what I’m feeling. Total, pure shock.
Rylee is ClickTease. Rylee is ClickTease!
Holy shit. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! What do I do? Do I say anything? Do I confront her with this?
Fuck! This. Changes. Everything.
Rylee starts walking away, and once I can’t hear her anymore, I sag my shoulders, using the wall to keep me from slumping to the floor.
I can’t believe this. How could this have happened? Seriously, what are the chances?
This is crazy. The woman I can’t seem to get out of my head is the same woman I’ve been connecting with on such a personal level.
Things start making sense in my head. Puzzle pieces falling into place. I had a date Friday night, and so did she. We were on a date with each other and didn’t know it!
Wait… is that why she pulled away the other night when I went in for a kiss? She didn’t want to betray GlideControlZ?
I rub my hand over my mouth, letting this revelation fully sink in.
Rylee is the woman I’ve been bonding with. The funny, smart, adventurous woman who’s been weaving her way into my heart with each conversation we have. She’s so much more than the overly confident exterior she throws on like a protective cloak and all the barbs and sharp words she sends my way.
Taking a deep breath, I try to slow my racing thoughts. I need to figure out what I’m going to do with this information. Of course, there’s the question of whether or not to tell Rylee about this.
With the way things are between us, if I tell her that I’m GlideControlZ, she’ll likely cut ties with me through the app and put even more distance between us in person. The thought sends a jolt of panic through me.
No! No, I can’t risk that. I can’t risk losing her.
Goddamn it, I want her. Knowing the different sides of her, I realize that I can’t let her go… which means I can’t tell her the truth.
Not yet.
I need to figure out how to win her over first - Rylee, not ClickTease. I need her to fall for me, so that when I do tell her, she doesn’t want to break things off.
Yeah… yeah, that’s what I need to do. I have a goal, now. I can make a game plan and start to woo Rylee.
Do people still woo?
Whatever. I’m going to woo the shit out of her.
Mind made up, I push away from the wall and hurry out to the parking lot to get my gloves so I can get back to the locker room and ready for practice. The last thing I need is Coach chewing my ass in front of everyone for being late.
I make it back inside and get ready just in time to finish getting dressed and head out to the rink with the rest of the guys.
As soon as I make it onto the ice, I spot Rylee standing in the penalty box, camera in hand. One of my teammates is waiting next to the wall for her, as it’s likely his turn to be photographed and interviewed.
My heart is racing as I watch her for a moment. Rylee. ClickTease. It’s like I’m seeing her with new eyes.
She smiles as she gazes down at her camera and I gulp, heat rushing through me. I jerk my gaze away from her and move to skate away before she notices, but I don’t move fast enough.
“Zander!” she calls, and when I look back at her, those mossy eyes are locked on me.
I freeze for a moment, unsure of what to do, but I force myself to skate over to her and try to keep a casual expression on my face.
“What’s up?” I ask, flinching at how tight my voice sounds.
“ICON wants some preliminary head shots of you, and there are a few contracts you need to sign,” she explains matter-of-factly.
“We also need to have a conference call with my editor and a few other members of my team to confirm details for the feature. They’ve arranged a private room at the Hilton for Saturday all day.
We’ll start with the call and then do the photo shoot. Okay?”
The Hilton? Of all the hotels in the city, they just had to choose that one. As if being around Rylee won’t be awkward enough now, I’ll be constantly reminded that I jerked off to thoughts of her in that very hotel after having the best date of my life, not knowing that it was with her.
Ooph. This is complicated.
I force a big smile and reply, “Okay, it’s a date. I’ll be there.”
She furrows her brow and stares at me as if dumbfounded then shakes her head and murmurs, “Weirdo,” before turning and walking away.
My heart sinks as I watch her go.
Oh, man. I’m fucked.